Month: December 2015

Lauren F. Winner teaches at Duke. She is divorced. She lost her mother. She is honest that life does not always turn out the way you thought it would.

I knew I had found a kindred spirit when she talked about her inability to create masterpieces in the kitchen, her love for doodling prayers, and her affinity for the balcony at church.

“[W]hat I feared most about loneliness [was n]ot being alone, which I often ind perfect and peaceful, but loneliness, which makes me want to die, which makes me think I will die, which I will do anything to avoid feeling” (54). “Sit with the loneliness and ask what the loneliness can do for you” (56).

“I am too lazy to do what’s important, or hard, so I stay busy with everything else” (105).

I cannot pinpoint the exact thing that makes me connect and love her writing, but I plan to check out more of her books. My favorite chapter was “A Sunday morning in Massachusetts”.

Do you ever wish you could hit pause on life? It feels like it is flying by.

I blinked and somehow this is the last day of school before winter break. Winter break… I called it Christmas break today and my students corrected me.

I found it strange to tell someone “Merry Christmas” today even though I knew they were Christians and celebrated it.

What has the world become in getting so offended by everything? Facebook has become this poisonous social media platform. If I did not use it to connect with some of my former students and friends who are living abroad, I would delete it.

Can we just slow down a minute and take some time to think about what really matters?

In 2008, I heard a message that has me constantly thinking about taking life at a slower pace. The speaker, Mark Yaconelli, talked about being in the “Slow Club“. It is something his son made up and there’s only two rules: No running. No hurrying. So while Mark is trying to get his son to places on time, his son does not rush through life. He is able to notice things others miss because they are too busy.

I get this.

Living in a city is great most days. But there are times when I just want to hit pause. Can everyone slow down? Can you wait your turn for the crosswalk sign or another car to pass you?

I think that’s why I love winter, especially in DC. People slow down, stay inside with their families, or make time for what really matters – spending time with the people you love the most.